You read it here first!

[Guest]

Well I'm banned from PlantGeek as of today. Seems that because my FAQ contains a small bit of common schoolyard profanity and because of this bit of advice

If you want Clown Puke (coated colored gravel) in the bottom of your tank then please leave my site and don't come back.

I'm told that if I want to return after my one week ban I will need to remove the link to my FAQ from my Sig. Well guess what! I'm not going to remove it and I'm not going back. That sig is on over 1000 posts there. Hope they have fun deleting them all. They even made a new rule just because of me!

Link requirements
A few users have wanted to post their personal web pages or refer to another plant board / fish board.

In certain instances, this is not acceptable:

1) If there is any profanity on these web pages

2) If there is objectionable or offensive content on these webpages

3) If, rather than replying to the post, you direct the reader to another website off plantgeek.net. Replies should be thorough, succinct, and polite. Remember the poster is most likely not your age, and could be in their teens.

If a link is seen as unacceptable, whether it is used directly in a post or as a signature, it will be removed without further discussion. If you want to know where a link is, private message the person who originally posted it. If you want to suggest a link, and you are concerned about it:

1) post it and if it is not removed, it is fine
2) private message a moderator and ask them
3) private message the person you'd like to send it to.

That's sure nice.

 

[madasafish]

Hehe. That's a pretty funny story. Good on ya for holdin' your own. "Puke" isn't profanity in my book, though I know that your FAQ is a little abrasive!

I particularly like the "Caution, contains adult material." Hehe.

 

[madasafish]

Wow. Not only have they updated the User Agreement, they've also posted the revisions on the home page.

Yikes; you must really have made them angry!

 

[Raimeiken]

wow, damn geeks

 

[Bearfan]

Rock on. Fight the man that keeps us down. Wait, I think I am the man, or at least work for him.

 

[ferret]

Does that mean we get more of your time and advice? I'm for it

 

[fishluvr]

Just another reminder....fight for free speech, and be banned for it...I wonder who's paying the 'geeks'???

 

[Guest]

Yeah it gives me more time to spend here. They have banned my entire domain from access to the site. They updated the user agreement, they posted a sticky in each forum. I guess I found the soft spot.

 

[katestjohn]

Actually, no he wasn't banned for Clown Puke, he was banned for calling people juvenile, idiotic, and flat-out insulting them. I asked Rex to please stop insulting other posters. He has not. He was given two different warnings.

As far as his home page - yes, it was removed through a global edit, with one click. It wasn't because of "clown puke" it was because he starts out his phrase with expletives.

Plantgeek.net is trying to maintain a family friendly atmosphere. We don't want children to be able to easiy click on Rex's site and see that profanity. I'm all for free speech - and encouraged Rex to please write articles for Plantgeek.net without expletives. He has obviously refused, and we are saddened by that.

As far as changing the user agreement, that was due to another individual, not Rex. As far as the links post that I made, yes, part of it was due to the problem posed by Rex's webpages, but also by others.

We are, at plantgeek.net, very sorry that Rex has chosen to act out in this manner. However, we merely applied the same rule to him that we have to others. In endeavoring to provide a family site for everyone - including six year olds that post - rules must be obeyed... by everyone.... no matter how much they provide to the forum.

Kate

 

[TheMadNucleus]

Hmmmmm,

Always interesting to see both sides of the story.

Nicely debated. Hard to argue with that.

 

[Guest]

Well Kate you made an issue of the clown puke in your email to me.

Your FAQs immediately start out with an expletive, and then move on to say if you want colored gravel leave the site and don't come back. This isn't a site Plantgeek.net will allow to be promoted.

If the issue was the two words of common school yard profanity then why did you even bother to mention the clown puke?

I have not received a single negative comment from anyone who has visited my site. In fact I have received many compliments.

Enjoy Disneyland Kate.

 

[Guest]

PS Kate, if you are truly

I'm very tired of having to be a mother.

as you stated in your email then sell your children.

 

[madasafish]

Urg. Shouldn't even have taken a side...

I'm no fan of one user bullying another, and I really value the family-friendly nature of this site.......

Glad to see both sides of the argument, too.

 

[Mr Burns]

i'll buy them...they can do my water changes, vacuum around the house, and scrape the ice off of my car in the morning. oh yeah, they can also clean our two german shepherds off after they come in from the rain. although, the kids are probably pretty damn sheltered...they'd have to get used to frequent "explicatives" and braodcast television media, which they probably have already been exposed to their entire lives...and that's about as family friendly as a trip to the slaughter house or a bob saget stand-up comedy show. lol...can i float the kids so they don't get shock from the big changes?

clown puke... i keep thinking of bright pink, yellow, and green gravel...

 

[madasafish]

Oy! Mebbe this should be left to PMs not threads...

 

[Mr Burns]

sorry if that was a little strong, but honestly...even if there is a "family friendly" site, you know the kids are getting tons of pop-ups for adult sites and..um..."male enhancement." i don't agree with kids being exposed to it either, but that's the nature of our society, and until you fix that, it's a tough uphill battle.

unless you keep your kids in a bubble 24 and screen their media like a juror, they're going to be exposed to things you probably would much rather not see. a few insults is nothing to get your roots in a bunch over...

 

[TheMadNucleus]

Mr. Burns,

just because there are problems in your aquarium you do not give up the battle.

What differentiates us from your tank inhabitants, is we strive for ideals, they don't.

Just because the guy down the block robs a liquor store doesn't mean we all might as well rob one.

 

[katestjohn]

If the issue was the two words of common school yard profanity then why did you even bother to mention the clown puke?

Because of your belittling attitude, Rex. Again, it isn't what you say as how you say it.

I have not received a single negative comment from anyone who has visited my site. In fact I have received many compliments.

I'll send the ones we have received over to you. The fact is, Rex, your abrasive and often insulting nature make it so that most people don't want to take you on, especially as evidenced by these tantrums you are throwing on every board.

PS Kate, if you are truly "...I'm very tired of having to be a mother." as you stated in your email then sell your children.

So now you have lost technical issues to argue with me and debate about, so you've resorted to personal diatribe? How sad.

know the kids are getting tons of pop-ups for adult sites and..um..."male enhancement." i don't agree with kids being exposed to it either, but that's the nature of our society, and until you fix that, it's a tough uphill battle.

First of all - PopupStopper does wonders. And I have it actively installed in the p.c. And you can't give up just by saying, "Well, that is the nature of our society." Parenting is tough. If it is easy, or you cop-out with this statement, you've done an injustice to yourself and the child. It's not easy. It's a pain. I don't like having my computer in the middle of a main room, so I can constantly look at the screen. I don't like the fact that I want to watch CSI and I instead tape it, as I never know what is going to be on. Thanks to Michael Jackson, I hate explaining the grim nature of a pedophile.

Life happens. But I have to make the best choices I can. The end result is, we don't limit older children (at plantgeek) to just one area of the board. It's difficult to do - and I'm sure the admins here understand that. That was our first try to solve this problem, and it was just a nightmare. So the other solution was to make everything family friendly. We don't want children being belittled, we don't want people being insulted. That simple. I don't think that is too much to ask in forums where a polite and civilized tone should be maintained.

Kate

 

[fishfreek]

Apparent duplicate post removed.

Rex I took a quick scan of your FAQ and I didnt see anything profane.

Kate I see you joined way back in Nov. I regret that all three of your posts have come in this thread.

Now if we could all get back to what counts... Helping aquarium keepers with their tanks.

 

[TankGirl]

This is tricky because I have certainly benefitted from advice given by Rex and Kate as well, so I tend to give creedence to both of their positions. I found the reference to clown puke hilarious and have repeated it to others, but I chose to ignore the recommendation that someone who uses that kind of gravel leave Rex's site, since I truly believe Rex could care less what kind of gravel someone out there might use.

This kind of thing, getting complaints about a certain member and having to decide what to tolerate and what not to tolerate, is common on forums such as these, and I am glad I am not the one who has to make such decisions.

We will certainly benefit here from Rex's increased attentions. My husband has a blunt way of speaking and he often offends people without having any idea he is doing so, so I might be more accustomed to it than others, but the advice is sound and helpful, and that we can all agree upon.